Island



PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

- G. P. MARKHAM.

PIN. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1905.

Suva-Aron 7 Mar/es [Ma/Mam.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented March 6, 1906.

Application filed June 29, 1905. Serial No. 267,549.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MARKHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pins, of

'which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of pins suchas are used principally for ornamental wear. The essential feature ofthe invention, however, is that a fulcrum-plate has been formed separateand independent of the body portion and then inserted between thejoint-ears to thereby form a bridge between said ears upon which theturned-down end of the ordinary pin-tongue may rest. This is done toproduce a spring tension at. the point of the pin-tongue and cause it tobe retained in the catch. The bridge or fulcrum plate may be secured inposition between the ears in any suitable manner; but I preferably formthis plate as a key, so that when the ears are set in position theyengage, bind, and lock said bridge portion and retain it firmly in placewithout the use of solder or other fastening.

The invention is fully set forth in this specification, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an enlarged view of a completepin, showing the body portion made in my improved manner and thepin-tongue in place in the joint and catch. Fig. 2 represents a planview ofthe blank of the body portion, which is preferably cut fromsheet-stock. On this blank is represented the catch and the two earsthat form the joint, all integral with said body portion. Fig. 3 is anenlarged perspective view showing the key-shaped bridgeplate that fitsin between the ears and is locked therein. Fig. 4 is an underneath viewof the shell, showing the bridge locked in position between the ears.Fig. 5 is a sectional end view of the body portion of the pin on line 55 of Fig. 9, showing the ears bent straight down to form the joint andthe bridge in position therein. Fig. 6 is a section through the catch online 6 6 of 9, showing one form of catch. Fig. 7 is a sectional viewthrough the joint of the pin, showing the ears drawn in to betterreceive the pin-tongue, which form is taken when the body portion of thepin is too Wide to allow of these ears being bent straight down in theform shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the catch,showing the same also drawn in to correspond with the shape of the ears,as shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a central sectional elevation showing thebody portion with the pin-tongue mounted therein and illustrating thebridge portion serving as a fulcrum to exert a tension on the saidspring-tongue to hold the same in its catch. Fig. 10 illustrates anotherform of bride or fulcrum with an outwardly-turned lip to serve as thefulcrum-bar against which the pin-tongue mayrest. Fig. 11 illustratesthis form of fulcrum in position and acting on the stem ofthepin-tongue.

Referring to the drawings, at 1 is the body portion of the pin, that ispreferably struck up from sheet metal. The essential feature of thisinvention is that this blank is cut in such a form that the two joint-ears 2 2 and catch member 3 are formed around its outer edge,thereby providing a body portion, a joint, and a catch in one piece.After the same body portion 1 has been blanked out into the form shownin Fig. 2 it may be drawn up into the form shown in Figs. 4 and 9 or anyany other desired form, and at the same time the said ears and catch maybe bent up into the position shown in Fig. 9 ready to receive thepin-tongue. When the body portion of the pin is the proper width at itsends, it is only necessary to turn the ears and catch member straightdown, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, to receive the pin-tongue; butwhen the end of this body is too wide the ears may be carried inwardtoward the center and then turned down, bringing them closer together,as illustrated in Fig. 7, in order to be the proper distance apart toreceive the joint end of the pin-tongue. When these joint ears arecontracted in this manner, the catch may also be carried inward, asshown in Fig. 8, to correspond to the shape and position of saidjoint-ears. In the practical construction of pins of this description itis necessary to provide a fulcrum against which the pin-tongue may restto offer the necessary resistance and eXert a spring tension on thepin-tongue in order to prevent the point of the same from beingdisengaged from the catch. To accomplish this requirement, I haveprovided a bridge or fulcrum plate 4, which plate is preferably cut outof sheet-stock independent of the body portion of the pin, the samebeing preferably formed in the shape illustrated in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, tapering slightly to correspond somewhat to the shape of thepinbody, becoming a little narrower toward the shouldered end 5. Theplate is placed in position between the ears, resting on the curvedportion of the body, (best shown in Figs. 5 and 7,) the large end of theplate being toward. the catch end of the pin-body and the shoulders 5 5engagingthe opposite edges of the ears. Said ears are then swaged orpressed in tightly to engage the plate, and a perfect bridge or fulcrumplate is thereby formed and rigidly secured between the ears without theuse of solder or other fastening.

The form of bridge illustrated in Fig. 10 with the outwardly-turned lip7 admits of the practical use of the cheapest construction ofpin-tongue. The plate is held between the ears in the manner abovedescribed, and the lip 7 turns outward, leaving sufficient space for theeye of the ordinary pin-tongue. When the shank of the pin is broughttoward the catch, it brings up against this bar, thereby forming afulcrum against which the shank rests just before the point of the pinreaches 'to the catch, thereby offering a resistance to the closing ofthe pintongue to cause the shank to spring and the pointed end to beretained in the catch, so it cannot be inadvertently disengagedtherefrom.

By constructing this pin-tongue without the use of solder makes it verypractical and inexpensive to manufacture. The pin thus constructed isvery strong and durable and has a very finished and neat appearance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an article of manufacture, a pin having a body portion that isprovided with a catch member and two joint-ears, a pintongue, and afulcrum member formed inde pendently of said body and said ears and heldin position by the latter.

2. As an article of manufacture, a pin having a body portion that isprovided with a catch member and two jointears, a pintongue, and afulcrum member formed independently of said body and said ears, saidcars being pressed inwardly, whereby said fulcrum member is held inposition by the pressure of the stock against it.

3. As an article of manufacture, a pin having a body portion that isprovided with a catch member and two joint ears, a pintongue, and a flatfulcrum-plate formed independently of said body and ears, the edges ofsaid fulcrum-plate being gripped by the pressure of the stock againstthem, whereby the same is supported in position. i

4. As an article of manufacture, a pin having a body portion providedwith a catch member and two ears, a pin-tongue, and an independentfulcrum-plate held in position by the pressure or grip of the stock,said plate being turned up at one edge to serve as a fulcrum for saidpin-tongue.

5. As an article of manufacture, a pin provided with a body portion cutfrom sheetstock, said body being provided with oppositely-arrangedlateral ears located adjacent one end and a catch member adjacent theother end, said ears and catch member being bent over to form a jointand catch, respectively, a pintongue mounted in said joint, and afulcrum member formed independently of said body and joint and held inposition by the latter.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a pin provided with a bodyportion cutfrom sheet-stock, said body having oppositely-an rangedlateral ears located adjacent one end and a catch member adjacent theother end, said. ears and catch member being bent over to form a jointand catch, respectively, a pintongue mounted in said joint, anindependent fulcrum member secured in position by the pressure of saidjoint, said member being turned out at one edge to serve as a fulcrumfor said pin-tongue.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. MARKHAM.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLOW, E. I. OGDEN.

